


The Note

by kooili



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-05-19 16:09:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14877047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kooili/pseuds/kooili
Summary: When Bernie sees Serena with Jason's baby, she knows what she has to do.





	The Note

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the PR pictures for Bernie's return.

Bernie stood watching Serena and Jason, sitting side by side on their makeshift seat. The top of the metal railing was digging into their thighs - hospital beds weren’t designed for sitting on the edge of, after all - but neither seemed to care. Their attention was fully focussed on the little bundle of squirming miniature human being in Jason’s arms.

“I’ve been reading and researching all about newborn babies,” Jason had explained when they shared a sandwich in the office earlier. “We’ve bought flannel clothing in white. It was much more sensible than buying pink or blue ones,” Jason explained.

“Why is that?” Bernie had asked.

Jason had given her an indulgent look as he explained. “The baby is much too young to know what a favourite colour is, Auntie Bernie. You of all people should know that the cognitive ability to do that doesn’t develop until much later.”

Bernie had conceded, tilting her head in acquiense at being caught out by such simple logic. Despite of all the misgivings Serena had, she was certain that Jason and Greta would do just fine. Her eyes slid towards the top of Serena’s head, now bent over and cooing at the baby.

She had returned to Holby for this, yes - to be part of welcoming a new arrival into the family - but there was something else that could no longer be avoided. It had bubbled just beneath the surface in recent weeks and the tension finally broke when Serena caved in and let loose her thoughts in the form of a list of what they needed to work on. In order of importance.

It had been a feat of near military proportion to engineer a whole week away when the trauma unit was at the brink of completion but she just about managed it in the end. There would be a huge pile of work when she returned: overtime and definitely not near enough time for Serena. A thought started to form in her head and Bernie realised, in that moment of clarity, what she had to do.

* * * * *

“Have you seen Bernie?” Serena asked as she passed the nurses’ station.

“I think she was in the office earlier,” Donna answered before turning back to the file she was working on.

Serena nodded her thanks and  covered the distance to the office quickly, in anticipation of sharing her news.

The room was empty and she looked instinctively for Bernie’s things - her bag and coat - vaguely confused when she found neither.

Where would she have gone?

Her eyes searched the room and latched onto the folded slip of paper on her desk. She picked it up and unfolded it in one smooth gesture. Her eyes raked across the page and froze at the final word.  Serena blinked and drew a staggered breath.

_No, surely not._

She stared at the note again, willing the message to have transformed to something else in the ten seconds since she read it the first time. Serena squeezed her eyes shut, determined to shove the prickle of tears and panic aside, remembering their last conversation. It was just after Fleur had chased them away with a wave of her hands and they found had themselves leaning up against the wall on the floor of the nearest side room.

“I love you,” Bernie had said.

“And I love you.”

Bernie’s reply had been a little sad, tinged with resignation.“It should be enough.”  

Before Serena could answer, the door had swept open with an announcement that Baby Haynes had arrived in the world.

Serena shook her head and looked at the note again as a voice sounded in her head.

_Not this time, Wolfe. I’m not going to let you get away this easily._

* * * * *

Bernie hefted the bag out of the boot and let it land with a thud on the tarmac. The driver smiled and waved her goodbye once she reassured him that she had all her things out of the taxi.

The large glass doors beckoned and she picked up the bag and walked purposefully towards them.

“Bernie,” a familiar voice called out the moment the doors wooshed open.

She barely managed to swivel towards the right direction before it hit her. It was more akin to a rugby tackle than an embrace but Bernie managed to stay upright.

“What…?”

The human cannonball pulled back a fraction and an all too familiar pair of dark brown eyes stared back with a distinct mixture of panic and consternation.

“Where the hell have you been?”

“I…” Bernie fumbled but realised that the question was rhetorical as she was cut off immediately.

“I know what you’re thinking, Berenice Griselda Wolfe. And it’s not happening.” Serena willed her voice to stay steady even as her heart sank at the sight of the baggage lying beside Bernie’s feet.

She drew her hands up and cupped Bernie’s face. “I told you once before that I don’t want you to go and it was a standing instruction.”

Serena’s hands drifted downwards and circled the dip of Bernie’s waist pulling her closer. She tilted her head upwards, grazing her lips against the skin of Bernie’s cheek before sliding down to meet her mouth. It didn’t matter how many times they did this. Serena swore that it was something she would never tire of and she wanted to capture each moment and encase it in a bubble every single time.  

“Serena,” Bernie breathed into her ear. The sound of her name was like a pinprick in the cocoon she had created.

She pulled back but kept an arm around the slate fabric of Bernie’s coat.

“Please don’t do this.” The words stumbled off her tongue, all the more bitter this second time around.

Bernie paused and looked at the bag at her feet before frowning. “I suppose I should have asked before I brought this in but…”

The look of utter confusion on Serena’s face stopped her and their eyes met, staring, searching for a long moment.

“Talk to me, Serena,” Bernie said, breaking the silence.

Serena’s wavering answer came after an audible intake of breath. “I thought you were running back to Nairobi. Breaking up with me. Again.” She rummaged in her pocket and pulled out the note Bernie had left.

_You’re busy with baby and I didn’t want to interrupt. Going home. B._

Bernie barely glanced at the note before replying. “Yes, I know what I wrote.”

“You said you were going home. Back to Kenya.’’

It was as if the clouds parted and the brightest sunbeam shone down onto where they stood. Bernie’s lips twitched upwards, turning a smile to a grin in a matter of seconds.

Serena’s eyes narrowed, her lips pursing. “I’m glad you’re finding this amusing.”

Bernie straightened her face, and smiled indulgently. “I am, actually. Did you really think I was going to disappear with nothing more than a note. Just like that?”

There was a pause and the light flush in Serena’s cheeks all but answered Bernie’s question.

“Oh darling. What am I going to do with you? Here…” She motioned toward the bag at her feet, inviting Serena to look as she bent over and pulled open the zip.

It was stuffed full, almost bulging at the seams, its contents springing up to reveal themselves the moment they were released. Serena’s eyes narrowed in confusion for a split second before widening with realisation a moment later.

“I thought that baby might like some of these to keep her company.” Bernie smiled wistfully as she pulled out a floppy elephant sitting at the top of the pile. “This was Charlotte’s favourite till she turned six.”

Serena stared for a moment and reached down into the bag and lifted out a tiny stuffed puffin. “You said you were going home.”

“Yes, I was,” Bernie replied, soft and steady. “We put these in a box up in the loft, remember? So I went home to get them.”

“Home?” Serena’s vision was now a blur, happy tears spilling onto her cheeks.

Bernie drew her close and hummed, burying her cheek into the soft silver-streaked strands of Serena’s hair.

“Home.”

They held each other tightly for what felt like a long time. Eventually Serena pulled back a few inches, just enough to see Bernie’s face and give her a watery smile. “I was coming to find you, before,” she said. “Jason and Greta have named the baby.”

Bernie smiled. “Oh? Any advance on Florence?”

Serena nodded. “They’ve gone for Pearl. Apparently it’s what Marjorie means.”

Bernie’s smile widened. “That’s lovely. Pearl Haynes.”

“Ah, you don’t think they stopped there, did you?” She cleared her throat. “Pearl Elinor Wendy Griselda Haynes - though I do hope we won’t need to use all those names all the time.”

Bernie blinked, tears springing to her eyes. “Really?”

Serena nodded, smiling. “You’re part of the family, Ms Wolfe,” she murmured. “No escaping that.”

Bernie shook her head. “Not trying to escape,” she said. “I love you, Serena. I love Jason. I love Pearl.” She trailed her fingers over Serena’s cheek and into her hair. “Whatever problems we have, we’ll work them out. I promise.”

Serena nodded, pressing a kiss to her lips before letting her hands slide down her arms to link their fingers together. “I know,” she said, then tugged lightly. “Come on, Great Auntie Bernie. You’ve got a baby to meet…”


End file.
